Boerestaat
The State of Boerestaat (Duntrekaans: Boerestaat Staat) is a region in the Southeastern part of the Republic of Saridan. It holds the distinction of holding the majority of the Francophone Euphitrien ethnic group which make up roughly 30% of the population of the province. It is also known as the leading agricultural region of Saridan. History Colony The Euphitriens first came to Saridan to form an Aldurian colony in the mid-1500s. The colony thrived for several decades, with large a large influx of ethnic-Canrillaişe Aldurian settlers. The Ikpi people were forced out of the area by the Euphitriens. The Euphitriens are a militant people, so they often times forced Ikpi off of their land. Ikpi resistance in the region was crushed in 1554 when Euphitriens entered an Ikpi village and massacred more than 400 people. The Ikpi grew to fear the miltant Euphitriens after this incident, and they fled North. The colonists developed a agricultural system that would dominate Saridan's economy until the mid 2600's when coffee became dominant. The Euphitriens grew melons. Their system of melon harvest was successful and helped the colony grow. Duntrekker Arrival After years of Euphitrien domination in the region, the Duntrekkers arrived from their settlements in what is now Northern Saridan. When the Duntrekkers arrived the Euphitriens reacted angrily. They passed Anti-Duntrekker laws that forbade Duntrekkers from owning land within the colony's borders. However, after the Ikpi-Euphitrean war of 1854 relations improved. Duntrekker militas helped defeat the Ikpi, and gained the trust of the Euphitriens. Then the Anti-Duntrekker laws were repealed, and soon the majority of the people in the region were Duntrekker. Independence The Euphitriens slowly lost contact with Alduria. The Colony grew more and more independent until both the Aldurians and the Euphitriens agreed on the colony's outright independence. Demographics * Duntrekkers 52% * Euphitriens 30% * Iftogrroonen 14 % * Other 4% Economy Boerestaat has the most Agriculturally driven economy in Saridan. Coffee is the Staat's largest export, and it is it's chief source of income. The Coffee System The Coffee system is the economic system that dominates the Boerestaat economy. Saridan's coffee system is unique and was developed in Boerestaat in 3202 while under the rule of King Gordon Gustaf Magnussen. Coffee producers developed a primitive version of the system at the Coffee Producers convention of 3202. Since then the system has developed with time to become the staple of not only Boerestaat's economy, but Saridan's economy. Planter's Unions A Planter's Union is a concept developed in 3202. Multiple Plantation owner's invested in developing the Coffee Market. The Planters would fund infrastructural projects, Agricultural Science, and other projects that benefitted them as a whole. Originally only 4 Planter's Unions existed, and they were all in Boerestaat. However, currently 153 Planter's Unions exist throughout Saridan, 87 of which are in Boerestaat. Union Distribution Companies In 3285 the first UDC was formed. The South Boerestaat Coffee Company was founded by the South Boerestaat Planter's Union, which was the most powerful Planter's Union in Saridan. A UDC agrees to purchase a full crop of Coffee from every member Plantation in the Planter's Union with which they are affiliated. In exchange the Planter's Union provides the company with capital to start up and expand. UDC's receive the coffee at discounted prices from the planters. The Planters agree to the discounted price because the UDC guarantees to buy their whole crop, which provides them with guaranteed income. When this system first emerged it caused great harm to the average person. Only 4 Planter's Union's existed at the time, and only 1 UDC which worked with every Planter's Union. Therefore this UDC had a total monoploy on coffee. Because the UDC purchased the full crop from nearly every Planter in Boerestaat there was no competition. However, over time more UDC's were formed as more Planter's Unions were formed. Today there are 112 UDC's serving 153 Planter's Unions. The system helps to guarantee income to Planters, which in turn helps to guarantee employment to laborers. It makes the otherwise volatile coffee market stable in Saridan. Culture